Some of the highest tides of 2014 – known as “king tides,” -- are predicted to hit the New Hampshire seacoast on January 2 and 3. That’s precisely the time a severe Nor’easter is likely to bring high winds and heavy snow to the area.

Bill Boynton with New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation says that spells flooding:

With winds of 20-25 miles per hour predicted along with the expected high tides, there will be a strong possibility of some coastal flooding.

Boynton says shale piles along Route 1A are designed to prevent storm surges from reaching the road. But, he says, they may need to be replaced with stronger structures:

They’ve served very well, but they’re not really built to sustain real heavy surges from major storms and that’s what we’ve run into again in recent years where we’ve literally had to rebuild them essentially.

He says the DOT will be keeping an eye on the more vulnerable shale piles, and stretches along Route 1A that could experience flooding.